Violent demonstrations in Bangladesh leave more than 100 student protesters injured

[SipahSalar]

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/0...news%2Fworld+(Internal+-+World+Latest+-+Text)

Bangladesh’s universities have become the latest battleground between student protesters and government forces.

In a scene emblematic of western college protest movements of the past, students in Bangladesh’s largest cities staged sit-ins and boycotted classes.

In one of the largest protests faced by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in her 10 years as head of state, police have been criticized for their use of rubber bullets, fire hoses, and tear gas. Throughout Sunday and early Monday, students vandalized university buildings, torched two cars, and ransacked a fine arts institute, according to senior police officer Azimul Haque.

The protest began as a backlash against the government’s decision to set aside 56 percent of civil service jobs for disadvantaged minorities and families of veterans who served in the 1971 war for independence. This policy change means that university graduates now will have to compete for only 44 percent of all civil service jobs.

Bangladeshi students and new graduates now will face even larger odds to secure a career in their native country.

According to a study by the Economist Intelligence Unit, Bangladesh’s unemployment rate for college graduates was an alarming 47 percent in 2015. In addition, the EUI measured female working-age participation in the labor market at only 35 percent.

The policy only compounds to the brain drain that Bangladesh and other Asian countries already face. According to a study by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), 90 students leave Bangladesh every day to study abroad. From 2006 to 2016, the number of foreign, university-bound students doubled to more than 33,000.

The World Bank estimates that only 4 percent of Bangladeshi workers have higher than a secondary education.

 

[El Sidd]

Everyone knows what i am going to say

 

[war&peace]

Gremlin will lead Bd to civil war as most of the dictators do.

 

[Centaur]

They made huge protest all over bangladesh. And bangladesh govt and also PDF anti bd folks who doubt about the capability of BD folks on street should know the reality.
Hasina should learn that she is still in power because simply bd folks don't want to come to street for another looter bnp so they are happy with autocracy of awami league .
On the other hand movement against the fake quora ta systms can be extremely shocking for awami league .
So if hasina want to stay in power , she shouldn't ignore the power of common folks .

Everyone knows what i am going to say

Yes sir alhamdulillah at least I know this . But also I suggest you to think in different way. Take it as the fire in BD folks . Just they don't move against our autocratic govt only because they ( BD folks ) have no good reason.
But when there are good reasons , we can shake even the autocratic govt whenever we want .
@El Sidd

 

[Tanveer666]

I'm curious, does pakistan have any 'quota' reserved for government jobs? if so, how many percent are reserved for it?

 

[Doctor Strange]

There is a frustration in the country now. As less jobs are created in present time. The Woman and District quota should stay plain and simple. Otherwise only Gopali and Bogra will be preferred in all job positions and woman empowerment wont take place in massive scale. Their problem doesnt end here they dont understand. And merit people have to pay and search for influential people in later stage. The tribal quota should be reduced to 1% but in CHT that can create more chaos. Many FFs were left from any Gov favor and their families also suffered. When Govt decided to do something for them. Time passed for the second generation and the turn came out for the third generation. But rarely it can be seen the third generation got any benefit out of this. Still the fake child FFs second generation take most of the advantage. Messed up system. Though most of the employment take place from merit; 70%.

 

[Tanveer666]

There is a frustration in the country now. As less jobs are created in present time. The Woman and District quota should stay plain and simple. Otherwise only Gopali and Bogra will be preferred in all job positions and woman empowerment wont take place in massive scale. Their problem doesnt end here they dont understand. And merit people have to pay and search for influential people in later stage. The tribal quota should be reduced to 1% but in CHT that can create more chaos. Many FFs were left from any Gov favor and their families also suffered. When Govt decided to do something for them. Time passed for the second generation and the turn came out for the third generation. But rarely it can be seen the third generation got any benefit out of this. Still the fake child FFs second generation take most of the advantage. Messed up system. Though most of the employment take place from merit; 70%.

Ironically, most are protesting to abolish the aforementioned quotas (and offspring quota), most protestors want only the FF quota, Disabled quota and Tribal quota. Their rationale being At The Moment, women are already empowered so they dont need quotas to excel, while keeping the district quota means one has to pay their local MP's to get the job, so they want to abolish it.

 

[Neptune_]

Ironically, most are protesting to abolish the aforementioned quotas (and offspring quota), most protestors want only the FF quota, Disabled quota and Tribal quota. Their rationale being At The Moment, women are already empowered so they dont need quotas to excel, while keeping the district quota means one has to pay their local MP's to get the job, so they want to abolish it.

Then why r these idiot girls protesting? Don't they realise that this quota is actually benefiting them?

This is the problem with BD student protests. Most of the time the protesters don't even know why they r actually protesting.

In my honest opinion this stupid freedom fighters quota needs to be abolished.

 

[Centaur]

Don't they realise that this quota is actually benefiting them?

Girls with dignity should protest that quota. Why does a girl even need quota system in order to get a job? In BD girls are doing better results than men in education while lots of boys are wasting time with other nasty stuffs instead of study.
Girls are doing better than boys with much less support than boys.
And girls are equally capable of competition with boys
So why do they need quota?
In BD quota (except quota for disable folks ) system is just to serve political purpose.
So girls quota is just for the girls of Chhatra League girls only, not for real bright girls.
Equal right doesn't come with whining/crying, everyone should earn it, and exactly lots of ladies are doing so.

 

[bd_4_ever]

This quote system does need rebooting. There can be quotas for minorities, disabled, FFs and women but 56% is absolutely unreasonable. It should be not more than 15-20% all of these categories combined.

I believe that a result would come by this time around cuz even the private university students have taken the streets. How many are they going to beat up with Police and BCL? Not sure if government can handle this movement, adding to it the fact that you are talking about young students and graduates who constitutes of a massive vote bank and are the future of the country.

The government should not forget our history - last time there was a similar kinda protest by students at DU, a revolution happened and that day become a golden history.

 

[bête noire]

Get rid of FF quota completely and downscale total quota percentage for women, minorities and disabled to 10% to 15%(15% sounds too much), most being reserved for women. Also, quota or no quota, no one should get extra marks they didn't earn. Just hire them with lower marks if you can't fill but no one should get extra marks just because they happen to be of particular group.

I want to know though, does minority mean based on ethnicity and language or religion or both? I agree on having our ethnic minorities have a sure say by means of quota but I don't agree with quota based on religion at all. State should have no religious interference and certainly doesn't need quota for certain religion. If that is the case then non-believers should also have quotas since I am pretty sure they are minority in that sense too and the fact that they are one of the most oppressed (you don't even get the non-believer option in any institutions, government or otherwise) and literally no one represents them.

All this is assuming quota based on religion exist though, and would want to get rid of it if it does.

Girls with dignity should protest that quota. Why does a girl even need quota system in order to get a job? In BD girls are doing better results than men in education while lots of boys are wasting time with other nasty stuffs instead of study.
Girls are doing better than boys with much less support than boys.
And girls are equally capable of competition with boys
So why do they need quota?
In BD quota (except quota for disable folks ) system is just to serve political purpose.
So girls quota is just for the girls of Chhatra League girls only, not for real bright girls.

Disagree with getting rid of it. BD wasn't always like this and it became so because of the quotas and other policies targeting women empowerment. I agree that it should be reduced and we can reduce it further and further as we get closer and closer to fair society where women are treated equally. But at this point in time, BD is certainly not gender equal in treatment. Yes, our girls are certainly capable of same things as boys but being capable and being treated the same way for that capability isn't intertwined or same thing. We need to keep women quotas until maybe when we become a near developed country and society is fair.

 

[Neptune_]

Afaik there is no religion based quota in Bangladesh.

By minority we mean ethnic minorities like Chakma, marma, santals etc.

@Bilal9 @Homo Sapiens pls confirm.

 

[Tanveer666]

This quote system does need rebooting. There can be quotas for minorities, disabled, FFs and women but 56% is absolutely unreasonable. It should be not more than 15-20% all of these categories combined.

I believe that a result would come by this time around cuz even the private university students have taken the streets. How many are they going to beat up with Police and BCL? Not sure if government can handle this movement, adding to it the fact that you are talking about young students and graduates who constitutes of a massive vote bank and are the future of the country.

The government should not forget our history - last time there was a similar kinda protest by students at DU, a revolution happened and that day become a golden history.

I doubt it; the government is COMPLETELY against any sort of reforms. Unless we have some sort of mini "arab spring" here, reform is unlikely

I want to know though, does minority mean based on ethnicity and language or religion or both?

currently its based on ethnicity;

 

[Bilal9]

Afaik there is no religion based quota in Bangladesh.

By minority we mean ethnic minorities like Chakma, marma, santals etc.

@Bilal9 @Homo Sapiens pls confirm.

Quotas in Bangladesh are gender based as well as minority based. Also another large quota portion goes to children of freedom fighters which is 30% of total which was the reason for recent demonstrations in Dhaka (this is leading to politicization of administration - some claim). Please see the following article where I highlighted certain key points.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

12:00 AM, January 25, 2018 / LAST MODIFIED: 12:00 AM, January 25, 2018
A case for merit-based recruitment in BCS


If the civil service is considered the backbone of a country, then a good recruitment system is a key to attracting and retaining the most meritorious people in service. Photos: STAR

Mohammad Omar Faruk

Discrimination is one of the most concerning issues for human resource professionals and can be both positive and negative. The quota system is a form of positive discrimination employers use to promote the advancement of disadvantaged groups. The recruitment system in Bangladesh, including public services, uses the quota system. The Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) defines quota in a policy report titled, “Quotas and Targets: How Do They Affect Diversity Progress?” Published in June 2015, the report states, “Quotas and other affirmation action policies aim to improve equality of opportunity and increase diversity by addressing the under-representation of minority groups in a range of different domains, such as politics, higher education and management.”

The objective of quotas is to address the under-representation of negatively stereotyped minority groups in a specific context. We see the use of the quota system in civil service recruitment systems in South Asian countries, such as affirmative action in India that encourages the recruitment of minority groups. In Pakistan, 92.5 percent of civil servants are recruited based on quotas, and only 7.5 percent based on merit. In contrast, most European Union countries forbid quotas. According to the UK Advisory, Conciliation, and Arbitration Service, “[It] is unlawful to select a person for a job on the basis of their gender or race in order to achieve a fixed quota of employees of that gender or race.”

However, the quota system for public services in Bangladesh is justified by Article 29, Section 3(a) of the Constitution: “Making special provision in favour of any backward section of citizens for the purpose of securing their adequate representation in the service of the Republic.” The recruitment policy in the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) can be divided into three phases: 1972–1976, 1976–1984, and 1985 to date.

It has been found from the analysis of the three phases of recruitment policy for BCS that the recruitment system has never fully functioned on the basis of meritocracy. The system promotes only 45-percent merit and 55-percent quotas, although this quota system cannot be justified in today's socio-economic reality in Bangladesh. The BCS has enjoyed the positive impacts of the quota system. These include promoting different under-represented minority groups such as women, indigenous and so on, which has certainly uplifted the disadvantaged groups in the country. Abuse of the quota system, however, leads to corruption and favouritism, and discourages meritorious people who want to dedicate their career to the civil service. Now, a principal question is how long the quota system in Bangladesh can last, since it cannot be a never-ending process, especially when we see that governments in this globalised world are feeling the need for more merit-based employees than ever before.

In his book titled Administrative Reforms in Bangladesh (1998), Mohammad Mohabbat Khan put forth a set of recommendations to ensure merit-based selection in the public service. One of them is, as he puts it, “measure(s) should be taken to progressively limit the scope of quota reservation system with the objective fits (sic) eventual withdrawal within a specified time period.” Similarly, Kamal Uddin Ahmed, in his article “Quota System for Civil Service” published in The Daily Star on July 18, 2008, stressed the importance of re-fixing the quota for the children of freedom fighters from 30 percent to a maximum of 10 percent; he also justified the 10 percent quota for women as being good enough. Additionally, favourable working conditions can attract more women to the civil service, as suggested by a UNDP Bangladesh case study published in 2011.

Recently, eminent economist and ex-bureaucrat Dr Akbar Ali Khan also made a remark on the quota system being a challenge to the recruitment system; he believes it should not be continued for an indefinite period, and has insisted on reforms to the recruitment policy.

Indeed, if the civil service is considered the backbone of a country, then a good recruitment system is a key to attracting and retaining the most meritorious people in service. This will not only strengthen a country but also improve its ability to compete with the rest of the world. It appears that reforming the recruitment and selection policy and system is critical for contemporary Bangladesh. Among the public-sector recruitment systems, the recruitment of BCS cadres has remained at the heart of the Bangladesh administrative system. Therefore, it is believed that if the recruitment policy is changed and reforms are made in the recruitment system of BCS, meritocracy will be established which will help to eradicate corruption and nepotism. It will have a significant influence on other sectors and industries as well. If the administrative mechanism of a country is run by a group of talented people, an abundance of development will indeed emerge.

I think it is a matter of political will to concentrate on the reform of the recruitment policy, including rethinking the quota system in Bangladesh. This reform can be a milestone in the accomplishment of Vision 2021 and work as a tool to combat corruption and ensure the country can compete in the global arena. I want to be hopeful that our civil servants will one day be recruited based on merit rather than a quota system. I just hope that day will come sooner rather than later."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Also see these articles and images,

http://www.academia.edu/27354636/AN..._THE_QUOTA_SYSTEM_IN_BANGLADESH_CIVIL_SERVICE

quota protest Shahbug
A jobseeker holds a placard reading “NOT 56% ONLY 10%”. Photo: Rashed Shumon

quota protest Shahbug
Demanding a reform in the quota system, students chant slogans with some of them holding flowers as a symbol of peaceful protest in Shahbagh area yesterday.

quota protest Shahbug
Demonstrators block the intersection. Photo: Amran Hossain/ Palash Khan

quota protest Shahbug
Smoke surrounds a group of agitators after law enforcers lobbed teargas canisters on them.

quota protest Shahbug
Police stand guard after dispersing the demonstrators. Photo: Amran Hossain, Palash Khan, Rashed Shumon

 

[24 Hours]

Quotas in Bangladesh are gender based as well as minority based. Also another large quota portion goes to children of freedom fighters which is 30% of total which was the reason for recent demonstrations in Dhaka (this is leading to politicization of administration - some claim). Please see the following article where I highlighted certain key points.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

12:00 AM, January 25, 2018 / LAST MODIFIED: 12:00 AM, January 25, 2018
A case for merit-based recruitment in BCS


If the civil service is considered the backbone of a country, then a good recruitment system is a key to attracting and retaining the most meritorious people in service. Photos: STAR

Mohammad Omar Faruk

Discrimination is one of the most concerning issues for human resource professionals and can be both positive and negative. The quota system is a form of positive discrimination employers use to promote the advancement of disadvantaged groups. The recruitment system in Bangladesh, including public services, uses the quota system. The Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) defines quota in a policy report titled, “Quotas and Targets: How Do They Affect Diversity Progress?” Published in June 2015, the report states, “Quotas and other affirmation action policies aim to improve equality of opportunity and increase diversity by addressing the under-representation of minority groups in a range of different domains, such as politics, higher education and management.”

The objective of quotas is to address the under-representation of negatively stereotyped minority groups in a specific context. We see the use of the quota system in civil service recruitment systems in South Asian countries, such as affirmative action in India that encourages the recruitment of minority groups. In Pakistan, 92.5 percent of civil servants are recruited based on quotas, and only 7.5 percent based on merit. In contrast, most European Union countries forbid quotas. According to the UK Advisory, Conciliation, and Arbitration Service, “[It] is unlawful to select a person for a job on the basis of their gender or race in order to achieve a fixed quota of employees of that gender or race.”

However, the quota system for public services in Bangladesh is justified by Article 29, Section 3(a) of the Constitution: “Making special provision in favour of any backward section of citizens for the purpose of securing their adequate representation in the service of the Republic.” The recruitment policy in the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) can be divided into three phases: 1972–1976, 1976–1984, and 1985 to date.

It has been found from the analysis of the three phases of recruitment policy for BCS that the recruitment system has never fully functioned on the basis of meritocracy. The system promotes only 45-percent merit and 55-percent quotas, although this quota system cannot be justified in today's socio-economic reality in Bangladesh. The BCS has enjoyed the positive impacts of the quota system. These include promoting different under-represented minority groups such as women, indigenous and so on, which has certainly uplifted the disadvantaged groups in the country. Abuse of the quota system, however, leads to corruption and favouritism, and discourages meritorious people who want to dedicate their career to the civil service. Now, a principal question is how long the quota system in Bangladesh can last, since it cannot be a never-ending process, especially when we see that governments in this globalised world are feeling the need for more merit-based employees than ever before.

In his book titled Administrative Reforms in Bangladesh (1998), Mohammad Mohabbat Khan put forth a set of recommendations to ensure merit-based selection in the public service. One of them is, as he puts it, “measure(s) should be taken to progressively limit the scope of quota reservation system with the objective fits (sic) eventual withdrawal within a specified time period.” Similarly, Kamal Uddin Ahmed, in his article “Quota System for Civil Service” published in The Daily Star on July 18, 2008, stressed the importance of re-fixing the quota for the children of freedom fighters from 30 percent to a maximum of 10 percent; he also justified the 10 percent quota for women as being good enough. Additionally, favourable working conditions can attract more women to the civil service, as suggested by a UNDP Bangladesh case study published in 2011.

Recently, eminent economist and ex-bureaucrat Dr Akbar Ali Khan also made a remark on the quota system being a challenge to the recruitment system; he believes it should not be continued for an indefinite period, and has insisted on reforms to the recruitment policy.

Indeed, if the civil service is considered the backbone of a country, then a good recruitment system is a key to attracting and retaining the most meritorious people in service. This will not only strengthen a country but also improve its ability to compete with the rest of the world. It appears that reforming the recruitment and selection policy and system is critical for contemporary Bangladesh. Among the public-sector recruitment systems, the recruitment of BCS cadres has remained at the heart of the Bangladesh administrative system. Therefore, it is believed that if the recruitment policy is changed and reforms are made in the recruitment system of BCS, meritocracy will be established which will help to eradicate corruption and nepotism. It will have a significant influence on other sectors and industries as well. If the administrative mechanism of a country is run by a group of talented people, an abundance of development will indeed emerge.

I think it is a matter of political will to concentrate on the reform of the recruitment policy, including rethinking the quota system in Bangladesh. This reform can be a milestone in the accomplishment of Vision 2021 and work as a tool to combat corruption and ensure the country can compete in the global arena. I want to be hopeful that our civil servants will one day be recruited based on merit rather than a quota system. I just hope that day will come sooner rather than later."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Also see these articles and images,

http://www.academia.edu/27354636/AN..._THE_QUOTA_SYSTEM_IN_BANGLADESH_CIVIL_SERVICE

quota protest Shahbug
A jobseeker holds a placard reading “NOT 56% ONLY 10%”. Photo: Rashed Shumon

quota protest Shahbug
Demanding a reform in the quota system, students chant slogans with some of them holding flowers as a symbol of peaceful protest in Shahbagh area yesterday.

quota protest Shahbug
Demonstrators block the intersection. Photo: Amran Hossain/ Palash Khan

quota protest Shahbug
Smoke surrounds a group of agitators after law enforcers lobbed teargas canisters on them.

quota protest Shahbug
Police stand guard after dispersing the demonstrators. Photo: Amran Hossain, Palash Khan, Rashed Shumon

Interestingly there's no quota for those of a lower socioeconomic standing. Given the progress BD has made in women's standing I think the women's quota can be reduced a bit along with the FF quota.